Abstract
The influence of copper ions on the regeneration of carrot (Daucus carota L.) androgenic embryos, accumulation of copper in rosettes, soluble esterbound phenolic acids and some parameters of oxidative stress were investigated. Two carrots: cv. Feria and 1014 breeding line were subjected to 1 μM, 10 μM and 100 μM Cu stress for 16 and 24 weeks. Under this stress, better growth, lower lipid peroxidation (TBARS level) and higher phenolic acid contents were observed in the cv. Feria. The rosettes of 1014 line accumulated less copper and produced smaller amount of TBARS after 24 weeks of incubation than after 16 weeks. Chlorogenic and caffeic acids were the main phenolic acids in both cultures. In the Feria rosettes the application of 10 μM Cu caused relatively high level of chlorogenic acid combined with low accumulation of copper in the tissues and unchanged levels of TBARS after both 16 and 24 weeks of incubation. On the other hand, despite the dose-dependent decline of chlorogenic acid in the rosettes of 1014 line, decrease in TBARS content was also observed after 24 weeks. The obtained results might suggest that the Feria carrot culture was able to develop more effective protection system/strategy against Cu excess in comparison to the 1014 line.